Christmas Magic
by Miss Beltful
Summary: *sighs* Yet another one of my crazy fics... *grins* Oh, how I feel sorry for you all! This fic is about the senshi and Kamen around Christmastime. It will be fairly long. My usual, romance and humor, as always. Very scary. Enjoy! Happy holidays!


Title: Christmas Magic Chapter 1  
Author: Azn Angel  
Email: king_wingz13@yahoo.com  
Rated: PG  
  
*sighs blissfully* Ahh, Christmas... The season of love, friends, family...  
  
And my crazy fics! @_@  
  
Tee hee, I've revised Christmas Magic! Christmas is coming soon, so you'd  
better review me as a present! ^^ I'm all about Christmas, it's my favorite  
holiday!!! Now, this is almost nothing like my other version of Christmas  
Magic. *sheepish smile* Yeah, I decided to rewrite pretty much everything...  
  
Well, a bit about this story: Usagi, Ami, Rei, Makoto, and Minako are the  
only known senshi now, and they don't know who Tuxedo Kamen is yet. It's in  
the first season, and yeah, I know Minako isn't supposed to be here, but I  
do better with her in the fic, OK? Usagi and co. are 14, and Mamoru is 18.  
Just to let you know, if anyone sees any mistakes of mine messed up about the  
storyline (which you probably will ^^U) feel free to correct me, though I  
don't mean typos.  
  
Um, I don't think they have Christmas in Japan. Well, some Japanese are  
Christians, and they must celebrate Christmas, I think, but otherwise, I'm  
not sure. Work with me anyway!!!  
  
Also, please forgive me for my bad Japanese. I am not Japanese, I do not know  
how to speak Japanese, so don't sue. I also am aware that in real Japanese  
conversing, people always add the term of respect to someone's name (e.g.  
Usagi-CHAN, Mamoru-SAN). I apologize if I don't add them everytime I type a  
name, which will most likely be a lot.  
  
Please read, review, and email! I post faster if I get more reviews!  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon at all, yet I do own this fic and my  
piggy bank. Go figure.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
"And so, A squared plus B squared equals C squared. That is the Pythagorean  
Theorem. Please don't forget that over your break, we'll be having a quiz on  
it once you get back. I suggest you study this over your break also, this  
quiz will be hard. In fact, I should probably assign you some homework, just  
to make sure you know the material. Now let's see here..." Haruna-sensei  
droned on and on as she began to flip through her math book for homework to  
assign. Much of the class was asleep on their desk. I noticed one boy  
hugging a stuffed teddy bear, sucking his thumb.  
  
Only Mizuno Ami was paying rapt attention, though her eyes flickered to the   
clock on the wall occasionally.  
  
I rolled my pencil between my fingers. 'Gosh, when will this end?' I glanced  
lazily at my watch. One more minute of this boredom, and I'd be free...  
  
"I marked the page yesterday, what happened to it?" Haruna-sensei muttered,  
unknowingly admitting that she was planning to give us homework all along.  
  
My eyelids drooped. Kino Makoto yawned.  
  
"Ah! Here it is! Page one-hundred and thirty--"  
  
RING!!!  
  
My eyes snapped open. Makoto stopped in mid-yawn. Ami immediately put her  
books away. A small stampede was heard, like a pack of wild wolves, howling  
happily, "WINTER VACATION!!!!!" as the crowd of overjoyous students trampled  
out the door. Haruna-sensei quickly scurried after them, apparently wanting  
to get out of this hellhole as well.  
  
Yup, it was winter vacation. The longest holiday of the school year. Two  
whole weeks of freedom, with no books, no papers, no teachers, no homework...  
  
Which, thankfully, is the bell's cause, since it rang before Haruna-sensei  
could finish what page we had to do on the Pythkorean Theory, or whatever  
she was talking about.  
  
"YES!" Makoto pumped her fist. "Winter vacation! Finally!!! I've been waiting  
for this!"  
  
Ami smiled. "Yes, it will be nice to have some free time on our hands, ne,  
Usagi-chan?"  
  
"Definitely!" I replied cheerily.   
  
"So, what should we do first in our glorious beginning of our break?" Makoto  
asked as we walked out of the classroom.  
  
"Well, we told Rei and Minako we'd meet them at the Crown Fruit Parlor." Ami  
reminded her, referring to our favorite place to hang out. Many teenagers  
hung out there, because their parlor was good, and considerably cheap enough,  
and they had fun video games.  
  
"Oh, yeah!" I said. "Well, I guess we're heading there!" I stepped off the  
school's front stairs.  
  
I shivered. It was chilly today, but I didn't mind. I wanted a white   
Christmas, and there was a "higher chance of snow if the temperature drops  
this week". Well, at least that's what the weatherman said, but you can  
never trust him. Still, I hoped for snow this holiday.  
  
Ami wrapped her coat tighter around her. "I could use some of Motoki's hot  
chocolate right about now!" she said, her breath freezing in the air.  
  
"Yeah!" Makoto agreed. "These school uniform skirts are crazy to wear in   
winter!"  
  
"Don't worry guys!" I grunted through my jacket (my face was buried in my  
jacket to shield my face from the stinging cold wind). "We're almost there!"  
  
We trudged through the bitter cold, hands dug deep into our pockets (gloves  
are SO not useful!), and finally made way to our sanctuary...  
  
...An arcade... (*sweatdrop*)  
  
We burst through the doors as three shadowy frozen figures. I had the   
strongest urge to fall to the floor on my knees and cry, "Hallelujah!!!"  
  
But I didn't. Instead, I calmy took off my jacket and hung it on a coat rack,   
acting like a normal, civilized human being. Ami and Makoto followed suit,  
though it was slightly difficult for us since it was hard for us to move,   
being half frozen and all...  
  
"THERE you are!" a familiar voice cried out. I whirled around, to meet   
Minako's smiling face. "Where've ya been?! I've been waiting here forever!"  
  
"Nani?" Makoto asked from behind me. "We came here the moment we got out of  
school."  
  
"Oh, right!" Minako slapped her forehead. "Yeah, your school must use a   
different heating company."  
  
"Huh?!" I asked, bewildered.  
  
"Didn't you, hear, Usagi-chan?" Rei popped up from behind Minako, holding a  
thick mug of hot cocoa. I scrunched my face up to keep it from glaring at  
her, on account of that she was holding the one thing I needed at that point  
to thaw myself, though it wasn't very successful; I can imagine my face must  
have been very contorted. "Both my school and Minako's school uses the same  
company for heating, air conditioning, stuff like that."  
  
"Uh huh..." I drawled. "So, is there a point to this useful bit of   
knowledge?" I glanced at Rei strangely. Her voice seemed funny, like her  
nose was stuffed up or something.  
  
"Well, around ten o' clock, the heat went out. The furnace just went BOOM."  
  
"Actually," Minako interrupted Rei. "Our furnace went BANG, not BOOM."  
  
"Whatever... So, we were dismissed from school early, and we've been hanging  
around here since then." Rei finished.  
  
"NANI?!" I shrieked. "No fair!!! So you guys pretty much got a half-day?!"  
  
"Mm hmm!" Minako gave a "V-for-victory-sign". (AN: For your information, in  
the anime, when you see people giving a peace sign, they don't mean peace  
sign. In Asia, the hand figure with two fingers apart in a "V" shape means   
V-for-victory. The two fingers, your pointer and middle finger, pressed  
together means peace. But with Minako, it can also mean V-for-Venus, like  
Sailor V. OK, OK, I'll stop! ^^U)  
  
"But don't hate us 'cause we got out of school early." Rei interrupted  
Minako. "We had to wait around for an hour as some fat guys in orange vests  
came to look at both schools' furnaces. They weren't able to fix it."  
  
"Yeah! All they did was poke at some wires and eat lunch!" Minako complained.  
"We sat around for an hour in the cold as those fat men played with the  
furnaces!"  
  
"Yeah, and my sensei made us continue class!!! Try and imagine studying the  
Ice Age while it was 40 degrees!" Rei added.  
  
"How appropriate." Ami mused. "Ice Age, 40 degrees..."  
  
"Oh, shut up." Rei snapped. "I'm going to get a cold, I swear I will..." she  
sneezed. "Ayai..." She sipped the last of her hot chocolate, held up her  
mug, and said in a stuffy voice, "Motoki-san!!! I need more hot chocolate!!!"  
  
"Another cup? You've had five already." a warm voice said behind me. I  
hastily turned around (as did Makoto and Ami), and greeted the newcomer, who  
was holding a metal kettle (AN: Hey! That rhymes!), and was wearing an apron.  
  
"Konnichiwa, Motoki-san!" I said happily, smiling at the cute blonde-haired  
guy in front of me. Motoki was a close friend to the senshi and I. Of course,  
he was also very attractive, which all of us, even Ami, noticed.  
  
"Konnichiwa, Usagi-chan, Ami-chan, Makoto-chan. How are you guys?" Motoki  
gave us a grin as he filled up Rei's cup. "Winter vacation, eh? This place  
is full of celebrating students..." he said a bit wearily as he gestured  
around the busy parlor and arcade. He was right, it was busier than usual.  
  
"Wow..." my eyes widened slightly. "It's never been this packed! You'd  
think some kids would be out on vacation, huh?"  
  
"Guess not." Motoki said. "Better get back to the kitchen. Our usual waiter,  
Yazuki, is out sick today, so we're one man short today. Ja ne, minna." He  
started for the kitchen, but I quickly spoke up.  
  
"Hey, Motoki-san, since it's really busy today, if you don't mind, I'll help  
out a bit." I offered. "I can take orders and bring people their food or  
something. I don't have any homework. No charge, of course."  
  
"Really? You wouldn't mind? You don't have to. I don't want you wasting  
your first day of vacation."  
  
"Not at all!" I said. "So how about it?"   
  
"If you're sure you'd like to, all right, then." Motoki grinned.  
  
"I'd help, but I have some Calculus homework." Ami said.  
  
"I don't feel good." Rei coughed.  
  
"We wanna play the new Sailor V game!!!" Makoto and Minako chanted.  
  
"That's OK." Motoki laughed. "I only need one extra person. C'mon, Usagi,  
I'll get you an apron."  
  
He led me to the back, which was the only place the the Crown Fruit Parlor  
I had never been to (well, except for the boys' bathroom, of course). It had  
a place for coffee for the workers, and some couches to relax on since they  
have been on their feet all day, taking orders and sending food. Waiters and  
waitresses rushed in and out, holding empty and full trays, handing dishes  
to a busboy who took turns washing dishes with some other busboys. Motoki  
informed other workers I'd be helping out today, and breifly introduced me  
to some of them. As he handed me a white apron, Unazuki, Motoki's little  
sister, poked her head in and said, "Onii-san! We need someone at table   
four!"  
  
"Right." Motoki called back as Unazuki's head disappeared. "OK," he said   
as he handed me a pad of paper that were like receipts and a pen. "Ask them  
what they want, and remember to be friendly, though I'm sure that won't be a  
problem. Oh, and here." He handed me some wrapped straws and napkins, which  
I put into my pockets of the apron I wore. "Table four is next to the Crane  
Game. All the tables have a red number sign on them. Good luck!" He gave me  
a gentle push towards the door.  
  
I walked out to table number four, seeing two girls my age in their school  
uniforms, which I recognized from Rei's. 'They must go to Rei's school.' I   
thought. "Konnichiwa, welcome to Crown Fruit Parlor." I greeted nervously.  
"How can I help you?"  
  
"I'd like some hot chocolate, please." the brunette said politely.  
  
"Same here." replied the blonde.  
  
"OK." I wrote that down on the pad of paper. "I'll be right back with your  
order." I turned away, letting out a sigh. I did it! I can be a waitress! As  
I headed for the back, I spotted Motoki waiting in front and grinning.  
  
"I was watching." he told me. "You were great! It wasn't that hard, now, was  
it?"   
  
"No." I admitted. "It wasn't too bad. Anyway, um, they want two cups of hot  
chocolate." I said, unsure what to do now.  
  
"OK." Motoki said. He pointed to a door next to the sink. "The cook is back  
in there. Tell him any orders, then wait for him to prepare it. When it's  
ready, bring it to the table on a tray from over there." He pointed on the  
other side of the sink, where a stack of blue trays sat. "And always remember  
napkins."  
  
"Napkins... Right..." I said. "Thanks!" I quickly headed to the door, pushing  
it open, to find a guy a bit older than Motoki. He was stirring something on  
the stove, though he looked up when I opened the door. "Um, hello." I said  
awkwardly. "I need two cups of hot chocolate, please."  
  
He pointed to a coffee pot, then said, "The mugs are in the cabinet next to  
the fridge."  
  
"Oh, OK. Um, arigatou." I quickly poured two cups of cocoa, and brought it  
out on a tray to the two girls. "Here you go." I gently placed the cups onto  
the table, and handed them some napkins. "Enjoy your cocoa." I scurried back  
to the kitchens.  
  
Motoki rushed past me, looking very busy, but he called over his shoulder,  
"Nice work, Usagi-chan! Keep it up!"  
  
I blushed, and smiled happily.   
  
"Table ten!!!" Unazuki's voice called. "Usagi, can you?"  
  
"Hai." I quickly went to serve table ten.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
"Whoo!" I plopped down onto a chair. "I'm tired." I had spent the last three  
hours, waiting on hand and foot of customers. There were a few accidents (a  
little boy spilled his macaroni and cheese on his mom, and a teenage girl  
who was sitting near the senshi spilled the pepper shaker, which didn't help  
Rei's sneezing), but all in all, it turned out OK. Most of the bustle had   
quieted down. Many people had headed home. I sighed wearily.  
  
Motoki quickly looked in. "Usagi-chan, I need help. A group of six came in  
at table three, but I need someone to serve table seven. Could you...?"  
  
"Sure, Motoki-san." I rose from my seat. "No problem."  
  
His face broke out into an appreciative smile. "Arigatou, Usagi-chan!!!" He  
quickly disappeared off to help table three.  
  
I stretched, then went through the doors to table seven. Someone was reading  
a newspaper, blocking their face. I cleared my throat to let them know I was  
there, then said in a cheery voice, "Welcome to Crown Fruit Parlor! I'm  
Usagi, I'll be your waitress for today, what can I get you?"  
  
They lowered the newspaper. "Gee, Odango Atama, I didn't know you worked  
here."  
  
"Chiba!!!" I gasped, dropping my friendly tone.   
  
"Uh huh." the ebony-haired man said in an amused voice. "I never knew you  
were a waitress."  
  
I glared at him. "For your information, Chiba, I'm helping out a friend!"  
  
"Who, Motoki? He doesn't need your help."  
  
"He does so!!!" I said childishly. The man was getting on my nerves! "It was  
very busy today afterschool, and I graciously offered to help, you baka!"  
  
"Right. Busy." He cast a look around the place, which wasn't as full of  
people as before.  
  
"Oooh, you!" I growled. "Listen here, it WAS busy whether you believe me or  
not!!! I'm leaving!" I whirled around, ready to stomp away, when a warm hand  
gently took me by the wrist. I turned back around, opening my mouth to yell  
at him some more, when he interrupted me.  
  
"Nuh uh, Tsukino. You need to take my order. Wouldn't want Motoki to think  
you're a bad helper, ne?"  
  
"Ooooh!!!" I wrenched my arm away from his grasp, half angry at him, half  
flustered at his touch. "I'm not taking any orders from you!!! I'll get  
someone else to wait on you!"  
  
"Being rude to the customers? Maybe I should file a complaint to the owner of  
this place. Or worse, maybe I should complain to Motoki?" Mamoru drawled.  
  
He had me. "Grrr..." I tried my best to smile, and forced my voice to be  
friendly. "May I take your order, sir?"  
  
"That's more like it." he smirked. "Hmm... I'd like some coffee today. It'd  
warm me up, wouldn't you say?"  
  
"If you say so, sir." I said through clenched teeth.  
  
"Maybe some soup, too, I don't know..."   
  
I counted to ten silently.  
  
"I'll just have some coffee." he said.  
  
"Suagr or cream?" I asked.  
  
"Black is fine."  
  
"Black?" I repeated. "Isn't that supposed to be strong?"  
  
"Questioning me? I know what I want, and I've just given you my order. Now,  
where's my coffee?" Mamoru smiled at me.  
  
I narrowed my eyes. "It'll be out in a moment, sir." I jotted down his order,  
and turned away without a word.  
  
I entered the kitchen, saying hello to the cook, and poured some coffee into  
a mug. Placing it on a tray, I brought it out to Mamoru, who sat there at  
his table, waiting for me. "Here." I said shortly, roughly placing the mug  
in front of him.  
  
"Thank you." he sipped at his coffee, then began to read his newspaper again.  
  
I gave him a glare, then walked away into the back lounge, where I found  
Motoki playing cards with his sister. My mouth fell open. "Motoki!!!" I  
screeched.   
  
He looked up innocently. "Nani?"  
  
"You said you had to wait on a group of six!!! What are you doing, playing  
poker with your imouto?!?!?!" I accused.  
  
He shrugged. "I got someone else to serve them. And anyway," he said, his  
voice defending. "We're not playing poker, we're playing Go Fish!"  
  
I sweatdropped. "But at table seven, Chiba was there!!!"  
  
"Mamoru? Yeah, I know."  
  
"NANI?!" I shrieked. "You knew?! WHY?!?!?! You know I can't stand him, and  
vice versa!!!"  
  
He shrugged again. "I thought it would be funny." His shoulders moved up and  
down as he tried to contain his laughter. Unazuki was also smothering her  
giggles.  
  
I crossed my arms angrily. "Oh, yeah, sure, let's all make fun of Usagi! She  
tries to help out a friend, and that friend gives her the dirty work!"  
  
Laughter was heard. "C'mon, Usagi-chan, it was a joke." Motoki said.  
  
"I don't see the humor in this." I said dryly.  
  
"Unazuki!!! Table six needs someone!" a voice yelled.  
  
"Coming!" Unazuki shouted back, abandoning her playing cards. She got up  
from her seat, and walked out the door.   
  
I continued to glare at Motoki. He laughed again, then said, "Oh, Usagi, you  
know it was a joke. Here, that can be your last table, OK?"  
  
I took off my apron, and mumbled indignantly, "See if I ever help you out  
again."  
  
He laughed, then ruffled my hair. "You are so cute."  
  
I blushed, and handed him the apron.  
  
He took it from me. "Here, how about this. My aunt and uncle are having a  
Christmas masquerade next week. How would you like to go with me? To thank  
you for helping me out today."  
  
My anger whooshed away, and surprise took its place. "Me?!" I squeaked.   
"You're asking me?!"  
  
He chuckled. "Hai. 'Course, if you don't want to go, I'd understand..."  
  
"Iie, iie, iie!!! I'd love to go with you!!!"   
  
"Great!" he said brightly. "It's next Friday, from six to eleven. I'll pick  
you up at your house, OK? Where do you live?"  
  
"436 Keikuyi Lane." I replied breathlessly.  
  
"OK!" he wrote it down on a piece of paper. "What's your phone number?"  
  
"892-3853. Yours?"  
  
"847-7563." he said as I wrote it down on my hand. "Oh, and tell your friends Ami, Rei, Makoto, and Minako that they're invited too."  
  
"Really? They'll be thrilled! Demo... Motoki-san, why would you want to  
invite a bunch of junior high schoolers to your uncle's party?" I asked  
curiously. It seemed unlikely that an guy Motoki's age would invite us to a  
party, much less ask me to go with him.  
  
"You guys aren't just 'a bunch of junior high schoolers' to me! You guys are  
some of my closest friends!" he said warmly.  
  
I blushed. "Really?"  
  
"Sure! And," he said with a wink. "Some of my best customers!"  
  
I laughed. "OK, Motoki-san. I'll see you next Friday, then!" I waved bye and  
rushed out the door to my friends' table, eager to tell them the news.   
"Minna!!!" I squealed as I sat down next to Minako. "Guess what?!"  
  
"Oh, finished helping Motoki-san out?" Makoto asked.  
  
"Yeah, yeah!" I said carelessly. "But this is important! Guess what?!"  
  
"What?" Rei asked. Her voice seemed to sound worse.   
  
"Motoki invited all of us to his aunt and uncle's masquerade!!!"  
  
Gasps and squeals erupted from our table. "NANI?!" Minako asked. "For real?!"  
  
"For real!!! It's next Friday!"  
  
"Wow!!!" Ami said. "This'll be great!"  
  
"Yeah!" Rei agreed. "I just hope I don't get sick." She sneezed.  
  
"Rei-chan!" I exclaimed, suddenly aware of her state. "Are you OK? Maybe you  
should go home." I wanted to tell everyone that Motoki had asked me to the  
masquerade, but more important things were at hand. "Rei-chan?"  
  
"I'm fine. Just a chill." She drank some more hot cocoa.  
  
"How many cups has she had?" I asked warily, eyeing her.  
  
"Eleven." Ami replied for her.  
  
"Eleven?!" I repeated unbelievingly. "You need rest, Rei-chan, not just some  
hot cocoa to make you feel better! C'mon, I'll take you home."  
  
"I'm fine, Usagi-chan!" Rei argued, her independent streak showing. "I don't  
need help!"  
  
"Well, I'm helping you anyway. Let's go, Rei-chan." I wrapped myself up in  
my coat as Rei followed suit, drinking the last bit of her hot chocolate. We  
said good-bye to the other senshi, who were still exclaiming over the   
masquerade.  
  
We trudged through the cold to the Hiwaka Jinja, where Rei lives. When we got  
there, Rei could barely stop shivering. I cooked her some soup, and made sure  
she drank every last drop. I found some cough medicine, and made her take  
some. She fell asleep almost immediately, but before she did, she mumbled,  
"Arigatou, Usagi-chan... You're such a good friend... You can go home now,  
Grandfather will take care of me now..." Then she dozed off.  
  
I blinked. Well. You don't get praise like that from Rei every dang day! I  
smiled at her, pulled her blanket covers over her, then headed out.  
  
I walked home. It was nighttime, and colder than before. My eyes squinted  
from the cold, harsh wind. I pulled my coat tighter around me. 'Only a little  
further...' I thought.  
  
A red sportscar pulled up beside me. The window rolled down, and Mamoru's  
smirking face appeared. "Need a lift, Odango?"  
  
I glared at him. "No, I d-don't!" I chattered.  
  
"Get in the car, Odango." he said, his voice friendly. "You could catch  
pneumonia in this weather."  
  
"I'm n-not taking any s-sympathy from y-you, Chiba!!!"  
  
"You're shivering like hell, Odango. Get in the car."  
  
"I d-don't n-need--"  
  
"I don't want you to get sick, Usagi." Mamoru said softly, his eyes sincere.  
My breath caught in my throat. I had never heard his voice like that, or hear  
him call me by my first name. His eyes were so gentle, mesmerizing me. "Get  
in the car, Usagi. Please?"  
  
What was with him? Did he have some bad coffee or something? His eyes gently  
pleaded me, beckoning me forward, and reluctantly, I joined him.  
  
Giving him directions to my house, I shot a few glances at him. Why was he  
helping me? I studied his sharp profile, puzzled. As we reached my home, I  
glanced bashfully downwards. "Arigatou, Mamoru-san. Thank you for the ride."  
  
"No problem. I wouldn't want you to be ill." his voice said quietly.  
  
I shyly met his eye. He gazed at me for a moment, then gave me a sweet smile.  
"I'll see you around, Usagi."  
  
I opened the car door. "Ja ne, Mamoru. Thanks again." I stepped out. He gave  
me a small wave, and started the car up again, driving away.  
  
I stood there for a moment, lost in my jumbled thoughts. Realizing I was  
standing out in the cold, I went inside. Entering the kitchen, I expected to  
see my mother there, preparing dinner, but all I saw was a note taped to the  
fridge. It read:  
  
Dear Usagi-chan,  
  
Your father has been called away to an important meeting for work. I  
decided to go with him. We'll be gone for two to three days. Don't worry  
about Shingo; he's staying with a friend. Please call us by the cell phone  
every once and awhile, so we know you're all right. Feel free to sleep over  
at a friend's house, if you prefer.  
  
I love you. Take care.  
  
Love,  
Mom  
  
My eyebrows raised. A smile formed on my face. Two whole days of no parents?  
This was a great way to start out my vacation! Sure, I loved my family and  
all, but a break to sleep over at a friend's was fantastic! I had the house  
all to myself...  
  
"Usagi-chan!!! Where have you been?!"  
  
Well, almost to myself. Luna, my black cat, jumped in front of me. "I've  
been waiting for you! Your family is gone for two days, did you know that?"  
  
"Hai, Luna, I did."  
  
"I've been waiting for you to come home and feed me! I'm hungry!"  
  
I laughed. "Gomen ne, Luna, but Motoki needed some help at the arcade."  
  
"Well, I need help, too! I'm a cat, I can't open a can of food!!!"  
  
"Yeah, you need help..." I mumbled. "Mental help..."  
  
"And also," Luna continued, not hearing me. "Your mother also said you could  
sleep over at someone's place. I think we should call a senshi meeting at the  
Jinja. We'll have our senshi meeting, then you and the senshi can gossip all  
you want, or do whatever it is you teenage girls do."  
  
"We can't, Luna. Rei-chan's sick."  
  
"Oh... Well, then, call up Makoto." Luna said matter-of-factly. "She lives  
alone, so we can all meet there."  
  
I quickly contacted Makoto from my senshi communicator. "Mako-chan, Luna  
wants to have a senshi meeting at your place, since Rei's ill and we can't  
go to the Jinja. Luna also said we could have a sleepover at your place, if  
you don't mind, because my parents are out of town, and Shingo is staying   
with a friend."  
  
"Sure!" Makoto's face said, smiling. "I'll contact the others, and we'll all  
meet here, OK?"  
  
"Hai!" I agreed cheerfully. "Ja ne! See you in a few!" I rapidly dialed my  
parents' cell phone to let them know where I'd be, and that I was back home.  
I quickly set out some food for Luna, then raced upstairs to pack. I stuffed  
my knapsack with a change of clothes, my toothbrush, and some CDs and manga.  
I noticed something on my hand. Oh, yeah... Motoki's phone number. I waited  
expectantly for the fluttery feeling in my stomach, but got nothing. Huh?   
Motoki just asked me to the masquerade! I should be thrilled! I mean, I AM  
thrilled!!!  
  
Then why didn't I feel it?  
  
'Mamoru...' my heart whispered.  
  
Oh. Right. That whole "scene" in the cold wind today. Dammit, why'd he have   
to save me like that?! Why couldn't he have just left me in the cold?! Then  
maybe I wouldn't have started to feel like this...   
  
'You can't be serious!' a voice in my head said. Maybe I was insane, but I  
heard it. 'Mamoru is the guy who made fun of your hairstyle! Who's called you  
a dumb blonde and a little child and--'  
  
'He's also the guy who rescued you today from the cold.' another little voice  
interrupted the first.  
  
'He's a grouchy college guy who's called you Odango Atama! Meatball Head!'  
  
'He's a grouchy college guy who's the most handsome hunk you've ever seen!'  
  
"I am NOT hearing voices in my head..." I muttered to myself. "I'm not  
crazy... I'm not psycho..."  
  
'How much would you bet on that?' the two voices asked in unison.  
  
"Shut up!" I snpped to myself. "I don't like Mamoru at all!"  
  
...Right?  
  
Two tiny snorts were heard in my head.  
  
'Let's corrupt her!' the second voice said. I heard the first voice agree,  
and then...  
  
As if automatically, without any control over my body, I picked up the phone,  
and dialed Motoki's number. 'What am I doing?' I asked myself vaguely.  
  
RING! RING! RING!  
  
"Moshi moshi?" Motoki's voice said.  
  
"Um, moshi moshi, Motoki-san!" I greeted nervously.  
  
"Usagi-chan?" he asked, surprised.  
  
"Hai... Um..."  
  
"Is there something wrong? Is this about the masquerade? We're still going  
together, right?"  
  
I cringed. "Um... Um... Iie..."  
  
"Iie what?"  
  
"Um, I don't want to hurt your feelings, Motoki-san... I don't think we can  
go to the masquerade together..."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Well, I... I don't know... You're more of a friend to me, Motoki-san..." I  
trailed off, waiting for a response. When I heard nothing, I wondered wildly  
if he had hung up on me. "Motoki?"  
  
"Hai?"  
  
"..." I didn't know what to say.  
  
"It's OK, Usagi-chan." his voice suddenly reassured me. "You're more of a  
friend to me too."  
  
My heart leapt with hope and relief. "Really?" I breathed a sigh. "Are you  
sure? I don't want to hurt you... No hard feelings?"  
  
"Of course not!" he said warmly. "We're still friends, no matter what!"  
  
"I'm sorry if I... If I hurt you in any way..." I apologized hesitantly.  
  
"Usagi-chan, you didn't hurt me at all! 'Course, I'll have to find a new,   
cute, pretty girl to go with." he teased.  
  
I blushed and laughed. "There will be plently of girls dying to go with you,  
Motoki-san, I'm sure of it."  
  
"Arigatou, Usagi-chan." I could almost hear him smile. "Actually, there is  
this girl I've seen around campus (AN: Motoki and Mamoru go to school   
together here), and I might ask her to the dance..."  
  
"She'll say yes!" I said, confident in my friend. "Ask her the very next time  
you see her!"  
  
The sound of Motoki's hearty laugh filled my ears. "I will, Usagi-chan, I  
will."  
  
"Good luck, Motoki-san! I'll see you at the arcade sometime! Ja ne!"  
  
"Nani? We'll see eachother at the masquerade, won't we?"  
  
"Nani?" I asked back, confused. "I'm still invited?"  
  
"Of COURSE you're invited!!!" Motoki said, his voice full of surprise. "Just  
because we won't be going together doesn't mean you're not invited! Come with  
someone else! And all your friends, too!"  
  
"Really?! Wow... Demo, I don't have anyone to go with..."  
  
"I know someone!" Motoki's voice was filled with delight.  
  
"Who?" I asked curiously.  
  
"Mamoru!!!"  
  
"MAMORU?!?!" I spat out with shock.  
  
"Yeah!!!"  
  
"Oh, stop teasing, Motoki-san!!!" I said nervously, remembrance of Mamoru's  
touch at the Crown that day, and his sudden kind act of giving me a ride   
home. An image of his softened eyes flashed through my mind.  
  
He laughed again. "OK, OK. See you at the party! Ja ne!"  
  
"Ja ne." I hung up the phone, slightly shaken by his suggestion. But before  
I could brood very long on that issue, Luna bounded into my room with one  
swift, graceful movement only a cat could accomplish.  
  
"Are you quite finished with your packing?! We need to meet the senshi at  
Mako-chan's!" she said rather annoyed.  
  
I blinked, as the words of Motoki was swept away into a corner in my mind. I  
grinned slyly at Luna and teased, "Anxious to see Artemis?"  
  
Her black fur bristled. "NANI?!"  
  
I grinned like the Grinch at her, then grabbed my pack and ran, as Luna   
hissed and chased after me to Makoto's house.  
  
Vaguely, I wondered what happened to the two little voices in my head.  
  
Vaguely, I also wondered what Makoto and Minako would do to me if I told them  
Motoki had asked me to the masquerade, and I had turned him down. I winced.  
'They're going to kill me...'  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
"I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!!!"   
  
"GYAAAAHHHHH!!!"  
  
Obviously, I had just told my news to Makoto and Minako.  
  
...They weren't very happy. I got the picture when they tackled me to the  
ground. Luna jumped out of my arms.  
  
"How could you do that?!" Makoto yelled in my ear.  
  
"AAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!" was my only response.  
  
Minako sniffled, dabbing her eyes with a hankie. "Motoki is such a sweet,  
innocent guy. How could you hurt him like that?!" They attacked again.  
  
"AKU RYO TAI SAN!!!" Makoto and Minako were being pulled off me. I meekly  
uncovered my eyes. Ami and Rei were holding Makoto and Minako up, looking  
quite dazed with parchment I recognized as the anti-evil parchments Rei uses  
on youma on their foreheads. The priestess was muttering darkly, "I can't   
believe I had to waste a parchment on these guys..."  
  
I blinked. "Rei?!"  
  
She turned to me. "Hai?" Her voice was all better, and she looked fine.  
  
"When I last saw you, and that was only about an hour or so ago, you were  
sick in bed and could barely stand up! How are you here now?!" I asked,   
flabbergasted.  
  
She gave me a smile. "Guess it was the medicine! I woke up when I heard a  
beep from my communicator, and Mako-chan told me there was a party! I told  
her I probably wouldn't be able to come, but I realized I felt just peachy!"  
  
She gave a little dance.  
  
I sweatdropped.  
  
Ami leaned over and whispered quietly to me. "It sure was the medicine! She's  
been hyper like this ever since she got here, like she's on a sugar high or  
something! Was that medicine you gave her really, really old or something?"  
  
"Nahh, must just be because her Grandfather made it. You know how it is. They  
have all these roots and herbs to make medicine out of. They never buy their  
own medicine, they make it. Her Grandfather might've accidently added a root  
or something that makes people hyper and ecstatic and VERY energetic... 'Must  
be a miracle' thing..."  
  
Ami watched Rei dance with the limp figure of Minako. "You mean like a drug?"  
  
"I suppose..." I raised my voice enough to talk to Rei. "Rei-chan, how long   
are Minako and Makoto going to be out of it? Is there any way to, um, wake   
them up?"  
  
"Yeah! TYO KAI SUO WEN DAN!!!" she chanted. Makoto's and Minako's eyes   
flickered opened.  
  
"Eh...?"   
  
Then they saw me.  
  
"AAAAHHHHH!!!" they yelled a war cry.  
  
"AAAAHHHHH!!!" I yelled a cry for my mommy.  
  
"AKU..." Rei started. My attackers immediately sat down obediantly.  
  
"Now," Ami said calmly. "Instead of tackling Usagi, maybe she has a perfectly  
reasonable explanation. Let her explain." She turned to me expectantly.  
  
"Yeah. EXPLAIN." Makoto's and Minako's faces loomed frighteningly over me.  
  
I gulped.  
  
Rei burped, then clapped her hands happily, like a child.  
  
'Someone should give her a tranquilizer...' I thought.  
  
My mind dwelled on Mamoru. 'I can't tell them that! After all this time of  
them listening to me rant and rant about how mean Mamoru was, and how badly  
he treated me... They'd laugh!' I bit my lip, then looked at my hands.   
  
"Minna-chan... I don't really wish to talk about it..."  
  
I could see the anger disappear from Makoto's and Minako's expressions. Ami  
looked surprised, and slightly worried. Even Rei stopped her act of trying to  
count how many threads were in her sock to look up at me with confusion.  
  
"Usagi-chan..." Minako put a hand on my shoulder. "You're not... not in any  
trouble, are you?"  
  
"Iie!" I shook my head. "Nothing like that!"  
  
Makoto gave me a friendly smile. "It's OK, Usagi-chan. You can tell us when  
you are ready."  
  
I sighed, relieved, and thanked everyone.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
We started the sleepover with a game of Truth or Dare. So far, Ami revealed  
what she REALLY thought of Haruna-sensei (she's not as innocent as we all  
think... In fact, she thinks Haruna-sensei is a-- *Ami covers up Usagi's  
mouth*), Makoto had to pretend to do a lap dance to the wall (that was very  
hentai... It wasn't me who dared her!!! Minako did!!!), Minako had to dial  
up her teacher and say, "Is your refrigerator running? ..... Then you better  
go and catch it!" (hilarious, in a weird, sick sort of way), and Rei had to  
TRY and sing badly (my ears still hurt).  
  
"OK, Usagi-chan..." Minako said after the laughing died down from Rei's  
recent dare (who was in the kitchen, drinking water for her now sore throat)  
"Truth... or dare?" she asked dramatically.  
  
"Dare." I replied confidently, keeping a straight face.  
  
"OK!" Minako exchanged a look with Makoto, which nodded vigorously. 'Uh oh!'  
I thought. 'They're plotting revenge for dumping Motoki!'  
  
The senshi of Venus gave me a wicked smile, and said, "I dare you to call up  
Mamoru... And ask him to the masquerade."  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
Nice place to stop, wouldn't you say? *grins evilly*  
  
If you want to know what happens, email/review me!!! The more reviews, the  
faster I post!  
  
Rei fans, please don't be offended! I love Rei, I really do! I just thought   
it'd be funny if she had to act... drunk...  
  
Review! Email!  
  
king_wingz13@yahoo.com  
  
~*~Azn Angel~*~ 


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